PUEBLO
Adison Jones and Kelton Richmond proved that size does matter in the quarterfinals of the CHSAA Class 2A Boys Basketball State Championships.
The pair combined for 22 points and 18 rebounds in leading No. 1 seed Ignacio to a 49-33 win over No. 8 Sedgwick County in the Great Eight on Thursday at the Massari Arena in Pueblo.
Jones led the team with a 14-point, 13-rebound double-double, his ninth double-double this season.
Richmond had eight points and five rebounds while making two blocks and two steals.
“That was our gameplan, to get the ball in the post first,” said Richmond, son of Denise and Jeff Richmond. “It’s easy, we’ve got great guards that penetrate. All I’ve gotta do is finish it.”
Those guards didn’t have the best shooting game.
Wyatt Hayes and Clayton Jefferson combined to shoot 2-of-14 without a made 3-pointer.
But the Bobcats’ defense and solid post play helped overcome that.
“It takes the pressure off them knowing that they don’t have to do all the scoring,” said Jones, son of Greg Jones and Latisha Taylor. “They can rely on other players.”
IHS (24-0) scored the game’s first five points before Sedgwick County (17-8) could settle in.
The Cougars hit a 3-pointer to pull within one possession, but the Bobcats ripped off a 7-2 run afterward to gain some breathing room.
Sedgwick County trailed 27-22 at halftime but gained some momentum early in the second half. Chase Dunker made two free throws with 3 minutes, 28 seconds left in the third quarter to pull the Cougars within one point.
Anthony Manzanares answered with a 3-pointer from the right corner immediately afterward.
The Cougars never got that close again.
“I think it was good because this season we haven’t really been pushed,” Jones said.
IHS head coach Chris Valdez knew the first game at Massari Arena might be rough offensively.
“Every time we played in the state tournament in this gym it takes some time to get used to the open space, the depth perception shooting-wise,” he said. “I’m hoping we can get that back (Friday). Our defense has to hold it together when our offense isn’t there.”
The Bobcats’ defense forced 16 turnovers and made 10 steals while holding the Cougars to 29-percent shooting from the field.
They’ll play No. 4 Sanford (24-1) at 5:30 p.m. Friday for a spot in the state championship game. Sanford beat No. 5 Simla 71-57 in the final quarterfinal of the night at Massari Arena.
“We’ve got a lot of fire. We didn’t want to lose this game,” Jones said. “We want to make it all the way.”
kgrabowski@durangoherald.com
Class 2A Great Eight
High School Basketball
CHSAA Class 2A Boys Basketball State Championships
Great Eight
March 12-15 at Massari Fieldhouse
Pueblo
Quarterfinals
Thursday, March 13
No. 1 Ignacio 49, No. 8 Sedgwick County 33
No. 3 Akron 81, No. 6 Meeker 64
No. 2 Lutheran 77, No. 7 Holyoke 42
No. 4 Sanford 71, No. 5 Simla 57
Semifinals
Friday, March 14
No. 1 Ignacio (24-0) vs. No. 4 Sanford (24-1), 5:30 p.m.
No. 2 Lutheran (19-6) vs. No. 3 Akron (24-1), 8:30 p.m.
Concolation Semifinals
Friday, March 14
No. 6 Meeker (17-7) vs. No. 7 Holyoke (16-9), 10:15 a.m.
No. 5 Simla (22-3) vs. No. 8 Sedgwick County (16-8), 1:15 p.m.
Championship
Saturday, March 15
Teams TBD, 7 p.m.
Fifth-place Game: Teams TBD, 11:30 a.m.
Third-place Game: Teams TBD, 4 p.m.
Durango Herald
